Spring tension connection for securing mop heads to handles



N. B. GREENLEAF SPRING TENSION CONNECTION FOR SECURING MOP HEADS TO HANDLES Filed May 1, 1946 Jam. 31, 195% In l/enlfor Fatented Jan. SLlQEiQ SPRING TENSION CONNECTION FOR SECUR- ING MOP HEADS TO HANDLES Nathaniel B. Greenleaf, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Suprasol Limited, Toronto, On-

tario, Canada Application May 1, 1946, Serial No. 666,321

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to mops and its principal object is to provide an improved method of securing a mop frame to the handle so that when the said frame is swung to any desired angle relative to the axis of the handle it will be held securely in the adjusted position under normal mopping action but may be easily and quickly changed to another position.

Another and important object is to provide an improved form of resilient coupling between the mop frame and handle which will absorb the impact force resulting from any inadvertent contact of the mop with a solid body.

The principal feature of this invention consists in forming a wire mop frame with angled portions extending beyond the frame holding member and embracing said angled portions with a coiled spring to apply a flexible universal grip between the mop frame and the holder to frictionally secure the frame in adjusted angular positions relative to the handle.

A further feature consists in the novel manner of flexibly connecting the mop frame to the handle by a coil spring having one end embracing the frame holder and the other end embracing one end of the handle.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 is an elevational view of a mop frame and its holder provided with my improved friction grip.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing my improved friction grip and the flexible resilient means for connecting the mop frame holder to the handle.

Figure 3 is an enlarged part sectional elevational View showing clearly the application of my friction grip.

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of my grip and holder taken at right angles to Figure 3.

In the normal construction of mops the mop frame, which is formed of heavy wire, is secured to the handle by a holder clamped directly to the frame. If the frame is of twisted wire a sleeve is interposed between the clamp and the frame. It has been found that with the present types of construction the metal surfaces of the frame and the holder that are in contact are relatively smooth and are hard to hold securely. Further, they soon wear leaving the frame loose and free to turn in the holder. Such a condition is not only annoying but it impairs the efficiency of the mop.

My invention is directed to overcoming the above dificulties by providing, between the mop frame and the holder, a flexible frictional grip 2 which will automatically nullify the effects of wear of the contacting metal surfaces so that the frame will be held in a firm grip during the entire life of the mop.

The details of my improved grip will be readily understood from the illustrations provided which show a wire mop frame I in the form of an elongated loop. One side of the loop is open at the centre of its length to permit the threading of the mop thereon. The other side has its central portion pressed inwardly to form a straight gripping section 2. At either end of this straight section 2 the wire bends outwardly to form angular shoulders 3.

A strong flexible wire spring A is tightly coiled around the straight portion 2 of the frame and extends beyond the shoulders 3 at either end of the said central portion.

The portions of the coils of the spring 4 adjacent the inside of the curves of the shoulders 3 will be in compression while those adjacent the outside of the curves will be extended.

One resultant of the action of the curving ends of the coiled spring will be to exert a force directing the spring against the wire frame to grip it securely. This force is dependent only on the power of the spring and the degree to which itscoils are compressed and extended and therefore any small reduction of cross section of the wire frame due to wear will not effect the gripping action of the spring and the bending of the coiled spring over the shoulders exerts a constant gripping pressure against the obtusely angled portions of the frame.

A holder 5 is formed of a doubled length of sheet metal the ends 6 of which extend laterally and are bent into part cylindrical form and are adapted to fit around and grip the spring A between the shculders 3.

The curved surfaces of the holder ends 6 are preferably formed with transverse ribs 1 to aid the gripping effect. A bolt 8 is inserted through the holder adjacent to the gripping ends to draw the said ends tightly around the spring member.

When the holder 5 is secured in place the wire spring 4, which engages the portion 2 of the frame, tends to conform with the ribbed gripping surfaces of the jaw ends 6 to prevent movement of the spring relative to the said jaws. Lateral movement of the spring and holder together is limited by the shoulders 3 on either side of the jaws.

When it is desired to adjust the mop frame I in its holder 5 it may be forced to turn inside the flexible gripping spring 4, the curving end portions extending over the shoulders flexing to permit such movement under pressure exerted to rotate the frame in the holder. However since the spring is symmetrical it will be readily seen that the position of the frame will not alter the frictional force exerted between the spring and the frame.

The holder 5 may be rigidly mounted on the mop handle 9 as shown in Figure l, or, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and i, the frame holder may be flexibly coupled to the mop handle.

In the flexibly coupled type of holder the jaws 6 which are connected by an integral narrowed portion it which is looped centrally and the intermediate portions l l are curved to form a hollow cylindrical shaft, the outer surfaces of which are ribbed circumferentially to form gripping protrusions 12.

One end E3 of a coiled wire spring is threaded over the ribs [2 to grip the frame holder securely and its other enlarged end Hi snugly embraces the mop handle E5.

The whole gripping assembly and holder are simple in construction and use and will remain operative indefinitely.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. in a mop, a wire frame for holding the mop, a flexible coiled wire spring encircling and gripping a portion of the frame, said frame being bent adjacent the ends of said spring, the ends of said spring extending around said bends in the frame and having the coils thereof compressed on the inside of said bends holding the spring in firm frictional engagement with said frame, a holder, and gripping means carried by said holder to grip said wire spring and to hold same securely against rotation, said frame being indefinitely held in adjusted position against rotation in said spring during normal handling but being rotatable in said spring upon application of force to move the frame to a new adjusted position at any desired angle relative the holder.

2. In a mop, a wire frame for holding the mop, a flexible coiled wire spring tightly encircling a portion of the frame, said frame being bent adjacent the ends of said spring, the ends of said spring extending around said bends in the frame and having the coils adjacent the ends compressed on the inner radius of said bends forcing the spring into firm frictional engagement with said frame, a holder, clamping jaws carried by said holder and gripping said Wire spring to hold the same securely against rotation and means for clamping said jaws to clamp the coils of said spring, said frame being indefinitely held in adjusted position against rotation in said spring during normal handling of the mop, but being rotatable in said spring upon application of force to move the frame to a new adjusted position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 in which the jaws. are provided with ribs, and the coils of the spring are compressed between said ribs upon the tightening of the jaws to provide a positive binding action to prevent rotation of the spring in the jaws.

NATHANIEL B. GREENLEAF.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 396,123 Lewis Aug. 18, 1908 2,056,008 Jayne Nov. 27, 1935 2,664,915 Kootz Dec. 15, 1936 2,121,911 Glover June 28, 1938 2,141,336 Bailey Dec. 27, 1938 2,285,818 Kootz June 9, 1942 

